An entrepreneur with a background in pediatric healthcare and social work has secured funding to develop a simple, wearable device aimed at helping children in long-term hospital stays feel connected to their loved ones.
The idea is to create a wearable wristband (or stuffy insert) that conveys get-well messages through LED colors and vibrations instead of lengthy messages, which children may struggle to read or comprehend. This product allows loved ones, classmates, teachers, and friends an easy way to send messages through the app as often as they’d like while eliminating the stress of composing the right words.
The entrepreneur needed a PCB design and manufacturing firm to work with their software team to develop the custom PCB. They had no experience with this sort of thing. There were a lot of uncertainties about how the hardware should be created, so, in addition to the firm’s technical skills, they needed a partner with an understanding of simple, intuitive wearable devices to help fill in the gaps. Henway was chosen as their design partner, and we were excited to get to work.
The wristband features an RGB LED with three colors representing “get well soon,” “thinking about you,” and “love you” messages, accompanied by a vibration motor for added emotional impact. The electronics included a battery, Bluetooth low-energy radio, vibrating motor, LEDs, and battery charging circuitry. Everything needed to be small and compact. We wrote the firmware to take instructions from the app only when prompted, including how to light the LEDs and for how long, the timing and intensity of the vibration motor, dimming features, etc., simply because it’s easier to change the app software when you want the device to behave differently than it is to change the device’s firmware.
To make projects like this a reality, follow these steps:
1. Schedule a video call to explain the project’s vision and requirements.
2. Facilitate initial conversations between our designers and yours to get everyone on the same page.
3. Attend weekly status update phone calls until we’ve delivered your PCB design
Hire someone with enthusiasm. Contact us today to begin designing the electronics for your wearable device, or reach out to discuss how we can help bring your concept to life.